GROW, GATHER, SERVE

The Campaign for a Parish Hall at St. Alban's

PARISH HALL CONSTRUCTION

December 19, 2023 Update: Construction Impact on Parking Lot and Entry to the Church

Construction of our Parish Hall is scheduled to begin on January 2, 2024. In order to complete this major addition to our church building, the construction crews will need to reserve areas of our parking lot and our grounds for equipment, supplies, staging and safety. These areas will be fenced off with either chain link fence or erosion control fencing and will be OFF-LIMITS TO EVERYONE EXCEPT APPROVED CONSTRUCTION STAFF. Please do not enter these areas at any time for your own safety. Below we will discuss the closed areas and the necessary changes to how we access the church building.

Here are the impacts to the access drives and parking lots during construction. Because we will have fewer parking spots available in our lot during this time, we encourage walking, biking, or carpooling on Sunday mornings for those who are able:

The Circle drive at the main entrance to the church will remain OPEN to traffic throughout construction for handicap parking as well as drop-off and pick-up. Due to expected heavy use, parking is NOT permitted in the circle drive.
The driveway between the Circle Drive and the Parking lot will be CLOSED to all vehicle traffic through out construction. This driveway will be open to Pedestrian traffic between the parking lot and the church for all Sunday morning services only.
The East side driveway between Caldwell Lane and the Parking lot will remain OPEN to traffic throughout construction and will be the only access to the parking lot. We expect a higher amount of two-way traffic on this narrow drive and ask drivers to use caution.
Approximately 24 parking spots will be CLOSED throughout construction. These closed spots will be fenced off in roughly the area designated as “L.D.” in the diagram. These spots are immediately adjacent to where the Parish Hall is being constructed and are necessary for equipment and supply staging.
Finally, much of the yard between the new playground, the parking lot, and the Parish Hall site will be closed through the first phase of the construction, unfortunately including the sidewalk that is the main access way between the parking lot and the church/pre-school. This area is designated by the heavy dotted line in the diagram and will be fenced off either with chain link fencing or erosion control fencing. We hope to open this area to some degree after the “shell” of the Parish Hall is completed 3-6 months into the project. This would open access to the church via the sidewalk.

So, how can I get into the church? Good question!

The circle drive is always available for drop-off and pick-up. Please do not park there.
Parking on Caldwell Lane and St. Alban’s Lane as available to enter the church via the narthex doors. On days other than Sundays, this may be your best option.
From the parking lot, you can reach the church two primary ways:
- On Sundays only, you can walk up the west driveway to the circle drive and enter through the door to the narthex.
- You can walk around the playground (between the playground fence and the picnic tables that will be aligned parallel to the drive) to the lower-level entrance. Note that the diagram is outdated in this area as the sidewalk between the pre-school door and lower-level entrance will be open. This method is NOT recommended in wet or inclement weather conditions.

We recognize that this will be an inconvenience during the construction phase and pray for your patience. Remember, close your eyes and visualize what it will look like this time next year!

Thank you for your cooperation during the construction!

FROM THE CLERGY

For more than two decades now, the congregation of St. Alban’s has gathered in the name of Jesus on Caldwell Lane in Davidson, thanks to the dedicated work of those who long ago saw the potential for growth. Because of their vision, today we pray together, sing together, learn together, serve together, and share one another’s joys and burdens in a beautiful setting.

During the pandemic, we found new ways to do all of these ministries. As we longed for the day when we could safely come together again, we felt deep down in our souls how important it would be in the future to gather in person for solidifying friendships, deepening formation, and serving our community. Even as we have grown our capacity to offer quality online worship going forward, we also have a new appreciation for the incarnational nature of our faith. There is something essential and life-giving about being together “in the flesh” in the same space, for worship, formation, and fellowship activities.

For the first time in more than twenty years, we are embarking on a campaign to expand our facilities and, by extension, our ministries. We are proud to announce:

Grow, Gather, Serve:

The Campaign for a

Parish Hall at St. Alban’s

As you read through the accompanying campaign materials, notice all the possibilities. We believe God has big plans for us!

We invite you to help us transform this hope for our future into a tangible reality. Will you please consider making a gift that is genuinely sacrificial, and a strong sign of commitment to this parish family? We very much need your participation and cannot fully succeed without it.

We know in our hearts that both the process and the outcome of this campaign will result in a stronger St. Alban’s. When this vision is realized, we will enjoy the fruit of our labor right away, and those who come after us will someday look back in gratitude that we had the courage and the faith to grow, to gather, and to serve.

Yours in Christ,

Carmen+

The Rev. Carmen Germino

Rector

Kevin+

The Rev. Kevin Lloyd

Associate Rector

FROM THE COMMITTEE

We want to provide you with some background, to help answer the question, “Why now?”

Our Committee was initially formed in 2019 as the “Parish Hall Exploratory Committee” The vestry tasked us with exploring the viability of finally building the expansion that was part of the original vision for our facility. Good progress was being made and momentum was being built, but the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 forced us to temporarily pause our work.

The Committee resumed meeting in 2021 and has proceeded prayerfully and thoughtfully, keeping in mind current economic realities and congregational dynamics. In the fall of 2021 members of the Committee began having conversations with some of St. Alban’s most generous pledgers to gauge the level of support for building a new parish hall. Those conversations revealed a high level of excitement and a clear willingness to offer generous financial support for the project.

Given the renewed appreciation for the importance of gathering in person, and the enthusiastic response to the proposal, the Committee has recommended to the vestry that we move forward with this project. We are excited about what God has in store for St. Alban’s, and about the various ways that a new parish hall will enliven and strengthen our common life.

Gratefully,

the Grow, Gather, Serve Committee:

Richard Colven, Eileen Keeley, Allison Kratt, Rhett Mabry,

Hank Patch, David Pylipow, Alex Slawson, Leslie Urban,

James Wally, Danny Wiles

WHY A PARISH HALL?

St. Alban’s is a vibrant congregation that is well-situated for continued growth into the future. Amid that growth, one of our challenges has been a lack of space for large communal gatherings. The narthex (entry hall) has been the primary indoor gathering space for fellowship events for the past 22 years. As our membership has grown, this space has become increasingly insufficient for many events. A new parish hall would provide us with a space much more conducive to receptions, forums, and allowing for ministries and fellowship opportunities that have not really been possible up until this point.

We are blessed with a relatively flexible worship space that we can adapt for some events, but there are real limits to what we can do there. This, along with a small and less-than-adequate kitchen, restricts our capacity for more frequent gatherings of this type. A new parish hall will provide us with a more flexible and user-friendly space, which will have multiple benefits going forward:

A Place for Table Fellowship

Whenever we want to gather for meals as a parish community, we have had to make do with the nave/narthex and our small kitchen; or move the meals outside. As a result, communal meals have been notably infrequent in our life together. A new parish hall with a larger, commercial-sized kitchen will greatly enhance our ability to break bread together, something that has been essential part of the Christian experience since Jesus himself prioritized it in his own life and ministry.

A Space for Formation

We have done some significant work in recent years to renew our programming for Youth & Family Ministry. In the process we have regularly been challenged by space limitations, with multiple groups competing for overcrowded meeting spaces. A new parish hall would allow St. Alban’s to provide more robust religious education for all ages.

A Homebase for Outreach

Outreach is not just an ecclesiological buzzword at St. Alban’s. We take seriously Jesus’ call to love and serve our neighbors, and we do so near and far. One of the important ways that we do outreach is by generously sharing our space with those who need it. Our buildings are used by various community groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Music @ St. Alban’s, La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool, neighborhood groups, book clubs, and exercise classes, just to name a few. A new parish hall would increase our capacity for this kind of outreach.

A Symbol of Welcome

Building a new parish hall will clearly signal to the wider community that we are a growing and thriving congregation. As such, it would be a tremendous asset for our evangelism efforts. In a time when people are much more likely to “church shop” across denominational lines, they look for signs of congregational vitality. A new parish hall, and the activities it would allow, would become an essential part of attracting new people to St. Alban’s.

Capital Campaign Pledge Form

IMAGINE...

a weekly brunch served on Sunday mornings between worship services so that individuals and families can break bread together, building and nurturing lifelong friendships

a Lenten Supper series with educational offerings for all ages

monthly Red Cross blood drives

quarterly Newcomer brunch meetings after church

rotating art exhibits featuring local artists

a space for youth scavenger hunts, lock-ins, and more

increased space for tai chi and yoga classes, 12-step recovery groups, continuing education classes for seniors, and more partnering with local nonprofit groups to host meetings and events

more space for beloved current ministries such as Vacation Bible School, Las Posadas, Cards for Kids, Oktoberfest, and the Shrove Tuesday Supper

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a capital campaign, and how is it different from our annual pledge commitment?

Our annual pledges fund the daily operations of the church through staff salaries, utilities, maintenance, parish life, etc. We make pledges every year so we can establish our annual operating budget and run the ministries of the church. A capital campaign is a special event in the life of a parish which seeks to address specific large financial expenses outside of the annual operating budget. A commitment to the Grow, Gather, Serve campaign is in addition to your annual pledge, not in place of it.

What amount should I give? What if I am not able to make a major gift?

To reach our goal, we will need many gifts of all sizes. For example, we have already received pledges ranging in size from $150,000 to $1,500 with most falling somewhere in between. Those who are capable of a larger gift should give a larger gift. Those who are capable of a smaller gift should give a smaller gift. Your gift will make a difference, no matter the size.

What is the timeframe for paying my pledge?

Pledges are payable over three years. While some may opt to pay their pledge in full now, any variation over three years is acceptable.

Can I give stock?

Yes, you can give stock for your Grow, Gather, Serve pledge. The process is arranged with the Finance Director, Erin Garrett: erin@saintalbansdavidson.org.

Will any of the money raised through the Campaign be subject to diocesan assessment?

No, only operating income is factored into our annual contribution to the Diocese.

Can I change my pledge?

While we understand if extenuating circumstances arise, keep in mind that our project plans are based on the pledges we receive.

Are gifts to the Grow, Gather, Serve Campaign tax deductible?

Yes!

May I make a gift in honor or memory of someone?

Absolutely! Please indicate this on your Grow, Gather, Serve pledge form. The Grow, Gather, Serve Committee will decide how gifts made in someone’s honor or memory will be publicly acknowledged.

What is the status of the Church’s current mortgage?

Thanks to an excellent interest rate, diligence in making our payments, and a very generous gift that was recently received toward the principal, we have reduced our mortgage substantially compared to several years ago. Our current mortgage balance stands at around $540,000. The Finance Committee is comfortable taking on a responsible amount of additional debt, to further our mission.

You can make your pledge to Grow, Gather, Serve: the Campaign for a Parish Hall at St. Alban's, by filling out the online pledge form below.